Following the DX v bankruptcy thread down there, what is night riding to you? To me, it's a challenge, a different way of biking where your reactions need to be a lot quicker and the experience is completely different, and having some darkness during a night ride is desirable.
To others, night time seems to be an obstacle to be overcome so it doesn't stand in the way of your normal biking, and so you need it to be as much like daylight as possible.

What's the majority feeling? Does having superbright lights reduce the chance of seeing wildlife?

For me it's riding my bike in the dark!

Bit of both really. I enjoyed the added danger/excitement of riding a DH track with two fenix torches the first time I went out night-riding. Got the DX now which is pretty bright but still leaves a fair bit of darkness to keep it exciting.

I can't imagine wanting it to look like a floodlit football pitch but each to their own I guess.

fun

To me it's riding, but in the dark, as it's no longer light in the evening.
Happy to have as much light as possible, without starting another lighting war amoungt my fellow riders.

For me it's mostly a way of getting lots of miles in all year round. There's nothing mystical about it for me. Although last nights commute home, and the first ride across the moor in the dark since February, was wonderful. I'd forgotten how peaceful riding into the pitch black, apart from lights obvioulsy, can be.

Blast it out of existence with as much power as possible.

It different things on different rides – last night it was my first proper ride of the season – so it was about remembering how to do it – later in the winter it will seeing if I can match my usual day light speed on the same trail.
I love the whole tunnel of light experience – especially on a crisp cold night – at times it can be bordering on the spiritual

Both but mainly maintaining normal levels of riding throughout the winter, which normally means a couple of midweek rides.

Sure riding with less than optimal light is fun for a bit but after two seasons of sub-par light it just became frustrating as the novelty of riding in the dark wore off…

Both to some time or other but I guess that having been nightriding for 15 odd years (with breaks!), the thrill of riding in the dark has become pretty mundance so it's just about getting out riding when there's no light. As such I have a light that's bright enough to let me ride at pretty much normal pace (Cutter LED kit).

The question is a bit odd though 'what should night riding be'

Surely it's wahetever the individual wants it to be.

Riding at night about covers it.

Does having superbright lights reduce the chance of seeing wildlife?

Nope, quite a few of the group i ride with have had close encounters with suicidal badgers 😯

Riding through tight singletrack with old skool jungle on the headphones and fresh cold air…what a rush

its about getting access to all the best trails which in the day are footpaths but at night are just another track to be explored!

Night = no Proffessional Ramblers Association wallys to wave their sticks at you!

About 70% of my riding is in the dark so night riding to me is about getting out on my bike and getting spooked occasionally by the odd strange noise.

As regards to speed I managed my fastest ever lap of Follow the Dog in the dark but that is probably more about fitness levels more than stadium lighting.

I work during the day and then ride in the evenings. Sometimes it's dark. I can either give up riding in winter or ride at night.

finding the time to get a few rides in a week (on a good week).
and there are many trails i wouldn't ride round here in the day!

although I find then night laps of 24hr races by far the most fun too so i suppose i must enjoy it a little for the fact that its dark and wierd too….

Occasional fun and a way of getting a short, mid-week ride during the dark months.

It's great… nice to be out on really frosty nights when all the grass sparkles!

we keep the night rides going from late summer to late spring, only chance to ride midweek and less grief of Mrs W if depart as nippers going to bed!

Makes old favourites like the Marin feel fresh again too

See plenty of wildlife…as long as nobody is whooping too much on the descents!

Meeting tonight at Kinmel arms St George Nr Abergele 6.15/6.30 if anyone local fancies it?…riding not drinking 😆

Fully accessible cheeky trails 🙂

Only way of getting out midweek in winter… check 🙂

Extra spice of adventure being out in the dark… check 🙂

Enough lumens to burn a hole through plate steel… check 🙂

Close encounters with Mendip owls / rabbits / badgers / ponies / longhorn cows… check 😯

obviously its another way of willy waving in the dark!

Myself its a chance to have a couple of beers with like minded souls on a Thursday night in a pub thats not full of annoying people.

Yeah its just another different way to enjoy biking in the winter, I find I ride slower and enjoy being out and about in woods in the dark (!). Can't afford amazing lights so its always a bit shady which adds to the fun.

riding after dark is all about the illegal trails: NIGHT =
No
Inhabitants
Getting
Harassed or
Tense

😉

Although that said, my lighting rig is so bright it has a kickback when I ignite it 🙂

Motorist: "Oi you, your lights are blinding"
me: "Oh, fanku ver much"

Like most, I suspect, It's partly about getting some riding done in the time you got allocated for it, and if that needs lights, then so be it. Having said that, I don't really want to have to pootle down the singletrack 'cause my light's not powerful enough.

I like it dark enough to be scary and fun, but light enough to miss most of the trees.

If its too bright its much less fun.

If its too bright its much less fun.

I'll bet you just hate riding during the day then 🙄